Lingering concerns about a sale of Williams & Glyn knocked Royal Bank of Scotland 3p lower to 204.8p as suitor Clydesdale appeared no closer to a deal for the branches. On the mid-cap index, strong half-year results breathed life into shares of asthma drug firm Vectura, up 3.11p at 149.41p.

Hunting was lifted, 40.5p, or 8%, at 548p, when Credit Suisse analysts upgraded the oil services group to outperform, suggesting the embattled firm was “turning a corner”.

Industrial parts distributor Brammer soared 67.25p, or 69%, to 164.75p after US private-equity giant Advent snapped it up in a 165p-a-share takeover worth £221.5 million. The shares were trading at 180p before the referendum.

Investors appeared unfazed as Game Digital’s house broker Liberum slashed the video games group’s profit forecasts amid industry reports of a sales slump this year, especially of hit franchises such as Call of Duty.